Not Quite Incognito
by Five Dollar Mixtape
Summary: As Moonkit grows up, she realizes that she doesn't quite fit in with the rest of her Clan.


" _My life was a lie."_

* * *

A small, black kit with a white belly, chest, muzzle, and paws crouched, a nearly shredded moss ball tucked under her body. Her hazel eyes flicked to the three kits in front of her: she knew each one had their own strategy to take the moss ball beneath her for themselves.

First, there was a light brown tom with black patches and hazel eyes. He was much larger than herself, and she knew that he would go for brute force.

Next, was a white tom with a few black flecks in his fur with green eyes. He was always thinking, and he would probably wait for one of the other toms to attack first.

Finally, there was a dark brown she-kit with a white chest and ears with bright green eyes. She was quiet, but had a bit of a short temper. If the black and white kit wasn't careful, then she would be tackled by the she-kit, which would leave room for the other black and white tom to take the moss ball.

"C'mon, Moonkit," the dark brown and white kit meowed softly. "Just give it to us, you've had it forever,"

"You're just not fast it enough to get it from me!" Moonkit retorted, bringing a paw closer to her. The light brown and black tom leapt for her, knocking her off balance and away from the moss ball. The black and white tom took action, his paw flashing out and dragging the moss ball towards himself before the other kits could react.

"Owlkit!" the dark brown and white she-kit complained, her voice getting a bit louder.

"What?" Owlkit asked. "I'm just playing the game, Juniperkit."

Moonkit smirked. "Get him, Sparrowkit!" she yowled, slipping out from under her littermate and onto another. A heartbeat later, there was another cat on the tom, along with a she-kit that helped bring Owlkit to the ground.

"Hey!" Owlkit complained, trying his best to get out from under the weight of his three littermates. "Get off of me!"

"Never!" Sparrowkit meowed, Moonkit purring at his side. Juniperkit just stood off to the side with a paw awkwardly raised.

Moonkit lifted her head, taking a deep breath of air, only to see a pitch black she-cat with green eyes staring at the kits. Her eyes brightened as she leapt over her brother, charging over towards her mother. "Grovestone!" she exclaimed, bounding over to the she-cat. Her littermates looked up, quickly following in her pawsteps.

Grovestone stiffened in her place, looking down at all four of her kits. "Hello," she meowed a bit stiffly, but with a type of affection shining in her eyes.

"Where's Frostrush?" Owlkit asked, tilting his head.

"He's on a hunting patrol," Grovestone answered, her tail curling elegantly around her paws. "He should be back soon, though," she tried to console her kits at the slightest look of disappointment on their faces.

Juniperkit's face brightened before she gained a curious look on her face. "Grovestone, do you know who our mentors will be?" she asked.

Moonkit, Sparrowkit, and Owlkit all brightened after the question was asked, immediately hounding their mother for answers. Grovestone looked from kit to kit, an overwhelmed look on her face.

"Alright," a voice sounded from behind the cats, "leave your mother alone." All four kits turned to look at a pure, snow white tom with blue eyes.

"Hi, Frostrush!" Sparrowkit meowed.

"Do _you_ know who our mentors are going to be?" Moonkit asked.

The tom shook his head. "That, my dearest kits, is up to the decision of Eveningstar and Cliffdrop," he answered with a purr.

"But, we assure you," Grovestone's quiet voice cut in, "they will only choose the best cats they can."

"Only the best for our kits," Frostrush added, a purr in his voice.

* * *

"It's today, it's today!" Sparrowkit meowed, bouncing around in front of the cats. Juniperkit sat down in front of the full grown cats. Both of their fur was shining in the rising sunlight, freshly groomed.

"Stop bouncing around, Sparrowkit," Frostrush ordered. "Your mother just finished grooming your fur," he added, before continuing on Owlkit's pelt. Grovestone hadn't stopped working on Moonkit's since she had started. Moonkit felt uncomfortable at each lick that covered her fur, but she would rather look good for her ceremony than struggle against her mother. Soon enough, she was released.

The two warriors looked at their kits, a proud look on their faces. "We're so proud of you," Grovestone purred. Frostrush nodded in agreement.

"May all cats old enough to frighten all enemies, join here beneath the Tall Branch for a Clan meeting!" Moonkit turned her head to look at Eveningstar, who was perched on a thick branch of a tree. Moonkit quickly rushed over to the tree, hearing her littermates on her heels. The Clan quickly gathered around the kits, waiting for the leader to start the ceremony.

"As you know," she began, turning her light brown colored head to look at the Clan. "The only apprentice we have at the moment is Blazepaw. Today, we welcome four more into our ranks." She turned her amber eyes down to the kits.

"Moonkit, step forward." The black and white kit felt nervousness and excitement stirring in her belly as she padded a few steps forward, looking up at the Clan leader. "Moonkit, from this moment on, you shall be known as Moonpaw. Clovershade, I believe that you are ready for an apprentice and I entrust Moonpaw's training onto you. I hope that you make her into a good warrior for MouseClan."

A dark gray tom with brown paws, ears, tail, and muzzle with copper eyes stepped out of the crowd. "Trust me, Eveningstar, Moonpaw will be a fine warrior." He dipped his head down to touch noses with Moonpaw. "But don't worry, I won't work you too hard. It seems like you have plenty of talent," the tom purred softly. Moonpaw purred back, and the two slipped into the crowd, but stayed near the front to watch the other cat's ceremonies.

"Sparrowkit, step forward." The light brown and black kit stepped forward with a spring in his step. "Sparrowkit, from this moment on, you shall be known as Sparrowpaw. Honeyspring, I believe that you are ready for another apprentice and I entrust Sparrowpaw's training onto you. You made us a good MouseClan warrior with Iciclesky, and I hope that you will do the same again."

"Would you ever doubt me?" a voice asked as a cat weaved their way through the crowd. A ginger and cream she-cat padded past Moonpaw, not even brushing against her fur, and she had to repress a shiver of intimidation. She felt sorry for Sparrowpaw. The new mentor and apprentice pair touched noses before slinking back into the crowd. Sparrowpaw pressed himself against Moonpaw.

"My mentor his terrifying," he hissed under his breath.

"I know, right?" she murmured back.

"Juniperkit, step forward." The dark brown and white she-cat padded forward, and Moonpaw could see her swallowing. "Juniperkit, from this moment on, you shall be known as Juniperpaw. Fogglide, I believe that you are ready for an apprentice and I entrust Juniperpaw's training onto you. I hope that you make her a good warrior for MouseClan." A slender, blue gray tom with a singular cream paw padded into the clearing, looking up at his leader. He gave a respectful dip of his head.

"Of course, Eveningstar." He looked over at the she-cat and touched noses, murmuring something that was apparently comforting and caused Juniperpaw to nod before they joined the other mentors and apprentices.

"Owlkit, step forward." The black and white tom took a deep breath before he complied to the leader's orders. "Owlkit, from this moment on, you shall be known as Owlpaw. Cavegrass, I believe that you are ready for an apprentice and I entrust Owlpaw's training onto you. I hope that you make him a good warrior for MouseClan." A dark gray tom with bright, shining green eyes emerged from the crowd, and only nodded to Eveningstar before touching noses with his new apprentice before slinking into the crowd with Owlpaw on his heels.

"Moonpaw! Sparrowpaw! Juniperpaw! Owlpaw! Moonpaw! Sparrowpaw! Juniperpaw! Owlpaw!"

* * *

Moonpaw stretched, her muscles sore from the fighting training she had done with Owlpaw. Sparrowpaw and Juniperpaw were supposed to be hunting, and Blazepaw was ahead of them in training. In fact, his final assessment was coming up.

"You both did well," Clovershade meowed, looking from apprentice to apprentice. "But you just can't seem to get the leaping moves quite right."

"Well, they aren't full grown yet," Cavegrass put in with his soft and slightly creepy voice, his tail flicking. "Once their legs are longer and stronger, I'm sure that they'll do the moves better. As long as they have the basics of the moves down."

Clovershade hesitated for a heartbeat or two before nodding in agreement with the other warrior. "Well, I guess you're right," he turned his eyes back to the apprentices. "Catch some prey before you head back to camp, alright?" the two nodded and took off into the spread out trees and tall grass.

* * *

Moonpaw was crouched, her body hidden in the tall grasses, waiting, waiting… until she pounced, missed her prey, and watched as the squirrel quickly climbed a tree.

For some reason, hunting was harder for her and her littermates than it was for the rest of the Clan.

* * *

Moonpaw sat nervously next to Juniperpaw, waiting for Blazepaw to show up. They had been asked to help with his final assessment, and that meant jumping out of the bushes and attacking him. Quite literally.

Juniperpaw adjusted herself. The three littermates had found that slightly different positions, whether it came to hunting or fighting, had helped them in their training. Moonpaw perked her ears, waiting for the tom to show.

They had to wait for what felt like seasons to the black and white she-cat before the shaded red tom finally did, causing him to be thrown off balance. The tom leapt into the air, throwing the younger apprentices off of them. They landed with a thump on the ground. Instinct screamed at Moonpaw to stand, cover her belly, to fight for her life. She forcefully reminded herself _It's just Blazepaw._

Juniperpaw was on her paws just as fast as she was, both of their tails lashing from side to side. Moonpaw rushed towards Blazepaw, flashing out a paw before the tom leapt onto her back. She was sent to the ground, her instincts screaming at her again. She forced herself to her paws before she had recovered, watching as Juniperpaw jumped towards Blazepaw. The tom dodged, but a heartbeat later Moonpaw had jumped for him, sending him off of his paws.

The red tom turned his eyes towards her, flashing out a paw and forcing her away from him before swiping at her ears with a gentle paw.

Moonpaw was panting when Seedbreeze, a dusty colored she-cat and Blazepaw's mentor, emerged from the grass. She was purring from deep in her throat. "Congrats, Blazepaw. Your warrior ceremony will be later this afternoon."

* * *

Blazewhisker was very happy to be a warrior, and very nearly rubbed it in Moonpaw and Sparrowpaw's faces when he padded up to them, towering over their hieghts. He told them about how he was sure that they would become warriors soon ("How could you not, you guys are all great apprentices!") before padding off to start his vigil.

But, his towering height brought questions to the littermates minds. According to the Medicine Cat, Lakepad, all four of them should have been nearly full grown by now. Still, none of the apprentices had the long legged, long bodied, tall eared build of MouseClan cats. Instead, they had long, whipping tails, shorter legs, a shorter body, ears low on their head but larger in size. It was nowhere close to looking like either Grovestone or Frostrush, if anything, it was closer to the build of CloudClan cats, except for their soft and silky fur. That part was undoubtedly MouseClan.

* * *

"They can't be MouseClan," Moonpaw had heard Honeyspring hiss. Her and Owlpaw were on their way to sneak out of camp, they wanted to do some late night hunting. Instead, they started overhearing a conversation between their mentors and Eveningstar. And, with an opening like that, they froze in their tracks.

"They aren't built like us," Fogglide added.

"Moonpaw's instincts are like she's been attacked everyday of her life: and we know that's not true," Clovershade meowed, with something she couldn't identify in his voice.

"Owlpaw's are, as well," Cavegrass put in. "They also had to find a different way of going about hunting and fighting."

"Are you doubting Frostrush and Grovestone?" Eveningstar asked, her voice eerily calm.

"N-" Fogglide was cut off.

"Yes," Honeyspring growled.

Eveningstar let out a sigh. Then, Cliffdrop spoke up. It was at that point when Moonpaw realized why he was deputy. The moment he started speaking, she could picture him in her head: the tom standing, stepping in front of his leader, his piercing golden eyes raking over every warrior in front of him.

"Now, listen here," he began. "Those apprentices may not be MouseClan by blood, we may never know, because the only cats that do are Grovestone and Frostrush. _But_ they have trained hard for this Clan, they have worked hard, sweat and bled and cried for us. That makes them just as much MouseClan as any of us."

"And we take care of our own, we _do not doubt them_ ," Eveningstar spoke. "They are your apprentices, are they not? If you want them to prove their loyalty to MouseClan, wait until their final assessment. It's coming up soon, isn't it?"

"But, Eveningstar, Moonpaw's instincts…" the hazel eyed she-cat nudged her brother.

"I don't want to listen anymore," she whispered.

Owlpaw turned his head to look at her, nodding his head. "Come on, let's go." He quickly led the way back towards the apprentice's den.

* * *

Moonpaw sat in the center of camp with her head held high. Juniperpaw and Sparrowpaw was on her left, with Owlpaw on her right. Ever since the two had overheard the conversation between their mentors, Eveningstar, and Cliffdrop, they had been closer than any of the other littermates ever had. Their mentors apparently hated them because of their bloodline that they were sure they (both them and their mentors) were sure they had. The two had yet to tell Juniperpaw and Sparrowpaw: Owlpaw thought it was better for them to be in blissful ignorance for now.

Soon enough, Eveningstar appeared on top of the Tall Branch, looking down all of the cats in front of her. "Clovershade," she began, "Is Moonpaw worthy to be a warrior of MouseClan?" Moonpaw took a deep breath.

"Yes," the tom meowed. "She's worked hard to get where she is, and deserves the title of warrior as much as any of us." Moonpaw blinked in surprise. Was that an act?

"Honeyspring, is Sparrowpaw worthy to be a warrior of MouseClan?"

The warrior scoffed. "By all physical aspects? Yes," she grumbled. Moonpaw turned her eyes to Sparrowpaw, and she knew she would never forget the hurt look on his face.

Eveningstar hesitated for a second before she continued. "Fogglide, is Juniperpaw worthy to be a warrior of MouseClan?"

"Yes, she has worked just as hard as her littermates to get where she is and has made leaps and bounds in her life," the tom meowed happily. Again, Moonpaw was surprised. Out of the corner of her eye, she could tell that Owlpaw was, as well.

"Cavegrass, is Owlpaw worthy to be a warrior of MouseClan?"

"Yes, I believe that he is. He's worked hard to get where he is today, and has always had his mind on what is good for us," the warrior commented. Eveningstar nodded.

"I, also, believe that they're worthy to reach the rank of warrior." She turned her blue eyes to the sky. "I, Eveningstar, leader of MouseClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have worked hard to understand your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." She looked back at the soon-to-be warriors in front of her. "Moonpaw, Sparrowpaw, Juniperpaw, Owlpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Sparrowpaw meowed.

"I do," Juniperpaw's soft voice mewed.

 _They have sweat, bled, and cried for us. That makes them just as much MouseClan as any of us._ Moonpaw answered right after Juniperpaw. "I do."

"I do," Owlpaw meowed, holding his head high.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Moonpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Moonwatcher. StarClan honors your courage and instinct, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MouseClan." Eveningstar leapt down to the ground, before padding over to her and rested her muzzle on Moonwatcher's head. She licked her leader's shoulder in return.

"Sparrowpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Sparrowrise. StarClan honors your energy and intuition, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MouseClan." Eveningstar and Sparrowrise repeated the actions that Moonwatcher had just done with the leader.

"Juniperpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Juniperleap. StarClan honors your instinct and improvisation, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MouseClan." The actions were repeated.

"Owlpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Owlfeather. StarClan honors your intuition and wit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MouseClan." For the final time, the actions were repeated as the new warrior was welcomed to his rank.

"Moonwatcher! Sparrowrise! Juniperleap! Owlfeather! Moonwatcher! Sparrowrise! Juniperleap! Owlfeather!"

* * *

Moonwatcher yawned, her jaws stretching wide then slowly closing as she padded towards her new den. Owlfeather padded next to her, with Sparrowrise and Juniperleap quietly and tiredly chattering behind them as the rest of the Clan woke up. The four were quickly stopped by Grovestone.

"I'm sorry that Frostrush and I didn't get a chance to congratulate you last night," she purred, smiling down at her kits. "But we've never been more proud of you in our lives."

Juniperleap and Sparrowrise padded towards their "mother", purrs rising from their throat. "Thanks, Grovestone," Juniperleap purred.

"Tell Frostrush thanks for us, too," Sparrowrise meowed. Owlfeather let out a long yawn. Grovestone blinked when she saw it.

"Oh, you must be exhausted," she meowed. "Go on, get some sleep, you four. We made nests for you." Moonwatcher gave a half-hearted nod of gratitude as her and Owlfeather padded towards the den.

LINE

"Have we been here before?" Juniperleap asked, looking at the cliff in front of them.

"No," Frostrush meowed, his tail flicking. "It's just outside of MouseClan territory."

"Don't go too close to the edge," Grovestone put in.

"What's this about?" Sparrowrise asked, tilting his head.

"Well, it's very important," Grovestone meowed. Owlfeather flattened narrowed his eyes and Moonwatcher flattened her ears against her head. The two littermates had been doing their best to avoid their family: it was easier to not tell Juniperleap and Sparrowrise that way.

"Let's start from the beginning," Frostrush murmured to Grovestone. She nodded in agreement, before taking a deep breath.

"Quite a few seasons ago, Frostrush had a habit of visiting the Twoleg Place just outside of our territory." Moonwatcher's eyes widened as she looked at Owlfeather. They knew they weren't from MouseClan, but _Twoleg Place_?

"What were you doing there?!" Sparrowrise exclaimed, his hackles rising.

"Let her tell the story, Sparrowrise," Frostrush meowed.

"This was back when he was an apprentice, and he met a street cat named Arev, who told him that he was part of what he called a gang. They were a bit like Clans, but he told us that there was one leader, a cat that they had to go to for healing, and they all hunted for themselves unless another cat was injured. They were in a war with another gang, when Arev met a cat named Fendi, which was in a different part of his gang."

"What does this have to do with us?" Sparrowrise asked.

"I'm getting there," Grovestone meowed. "Arev and Fendi quickly became mates, and Fendi became pregnants with kits. But, Arev was killed in the war, and Fendi had to be forced to eat anything. Eventually, Frostrush brought me out to meet her, and we became friends. Unfortunately, Fendi died soon after she had her kits, but not before she could name them." The she-cat paused.

"Fendi also begged us to take her kits," Frostrush meowed. "She said that she didn't want them to grow up in a war: that she loved the honor of the Clan system and the way you had to prove your worth in MouseClan. She knew that her kits would thrive there." He looked at all of the warriors in front of him. "She named her kits Moon, Sparrow, Juniper, and Owl."

Silence.

"No…" Sparrowrise muttered. "No, no, no…"

"I'm sorry we never told you," Grovestone meowed. "But Fendi was adamant that you would stay in MouseClan and become warriors."

"But we aren't MouseClan, are we?!" Juniperleap hissed, her temper exploding. "We're Twoleg Place cats! We're from a gang that we've never even heard of!"

Sparrowrise turned on his littermates. "How are you two not freaking out about this?!" he growled.

"We already knew," Moonwatcher meowed softly.

" _What?"_ Juniperleap screeched.

"We heard our mentors talking to Eveningstar and Cliffdrop before our final assessment," Owlfeather explained.

"We thought it would be better if you didn't know," Moonwatcher put in. "Ignorance is bliss, you know?"

"No, we don't," Sparrowrise growled, padding towards them. Moonwatcher's instincts stepped in, making her take a step back.

"Sparrowrise," Frostrush growled, taking a step forward. The light brown and black tom just shot him a glare. Owlfeather took a step back with Moonwatcher, while Juniperleap padded forward with Sparrowrise.

"You knew and never told us?!" Juniperleap hissed.

"If this is how you react, I'm glad we didn't!" Moonwatcher growled back. Grovestone stepped in between the new new warriors.

"Stop," she growled. The black and white she-cat blinked, surprised at Grovestone's growling. It was something she had never heard before.

"No," the two shot back in sync, pushing forward at the black cat. Frostrush was about to step forward, when the first stones started to slip from under Moonwatcher's and Owlfeather's paws. He froze in his pawsteps, staring at the warriors.

Moonwatcher's instincts screamed at her to fight. But she couldn't. Sparrowrise and Juniperleap were family: they were Clanmates.

And the earth fell from under them.

* * *

" _A single lie discovered is enough to create contagious doubt over every other truth created."_


End file.
